Sexual Assault Care

Sexual assault is one of the worst possible experiences in a woman's life.

Sexual Trauma and Awareness & Response (STAR)

Woman’s provides sensitive health care and treatment to victims of sexual assault and rape. A woman who reports to the hospital following a sexual assault incident will be treated with the care and dignity she deserves at no cost to the victim.

What to do

If you are the victim of a sexual assault or believe you have been taken advantage of, Woman’s urges you to report to the Assessment Center as soon as possible to receive immediate care. For better evidence collection and care, women are recommended to not clean themselves or change clothes before reporting to Woman’s.

Woman’s will provide them with a fresh set of clothes, toiletries and a place to shower following the exam.

What to expect at Woman’s

When a woman arrives at the Assessment Center following a sexual assault, she will immediately be escorted to a private room for medical care. An OB/GYN specially trained in sexual assault treatment and nursing staff will evaluate her for injuries and provide appropriate treatment, and perform an examination for collection of evidence.*

Treatment for sexual assault can include the following:

identifying and caring for injuries
assessing risk of sexually transmitted diseases and giving preventative treatment
assessing risk of pregnancy and presenting emergency preventive options
collecting toxicology evidence for the State Police Crime Lab if a woman chooses to report the crime
providing referrals for appropriate medical follow-up

*Sexual assault evidence is securely stored up to 30 days should a women choose to report the crime at a later time.

PRIVACY IS A PRIORITY

At Woman’s, your privacy will be held in the highest regard. Once you enter the Assessment Center, you will immediately be brought into a private hospital room to begin the examination or a private council room to talk with a Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response Representative or police officer should you choose to report the crime.

NO COST CARE

When a woman seeks care for sexual assault, including the collection of forensic evidence, she will not pay for her care. Continued financial support from the community allows Woman's to provide these services at no cost to the victim.

LEGAL & EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

Woman’s also works in collaboration with Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response (STAR) to provide resources for emotional support and legal help. A STAR representative is on-call and will be dispatched to Woman’s when a woman reports to the hospital for sexual assault care. For more information, visit www.brstar.org.

Make a Difference

Your gift provides toiletries and clothing for the survivor and continuing education for those who care for survivors of sexual assault.